Factors associated with patient no-show rates in an academic otolaryngology practice

Objectives/Hypothesis Factors affecting access to healthcare is an expanding area of research. This study seeks to identify factors associated with no-show rates in an academic otolaryngology practice to improve clinical efficiency and patient access to care. Study Design Retrospective review. Methods A retrospective review of scheduled clinical appointments from February 1, 2015 to January 30, 2016 at a single academic otolaryngology department was performed. Statistical analysis was completed to examine the association of no-show rates with the following: otolaryngology subspecialty, clinic location (e.g., main campus vs. satellite), patient demographic factors, attending seniority, temporal factors, insurance types, rurality, and visit type. Results There was an overall no-show rate of 20% for 22,759 scheduled clinic visits. Satellite clinics had the highest no-show rates at 25% (P